Mayor of Limerick secures fresh financial backing from Government

MAYOR John Moran has declared 2026 "must be the year of momentum in Limerick".

It comes after it was confirmed Government will allow him to roll-over money which was not spent in his mayoral budget last year.

The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage has written to the first citizen to confirm that he has €14.7m to help deliver on his priorities for the year.

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His annual fund is more than the €8m he can expect annually but the money is being divided differently.

Some 40% will be used for day-to-day costs, like running services, events, staffing or programmes.

The remaining 60% is earmarked for long term projects like buildings, infrastructure, or major improvements that last for years.

"This funding gives us the certainty to now turn plans into visible progress particularly in areas like housing, so that people can see delivery on the ground," Mayor Moran said.

He added the investment directly supports the pillars of his programme,  based around liveability, healthiness and prosperity.

The reason the sum is higher than the normal €8m Mayor Moran can expect is because some money which was meant to be spent on major projects in 2026 - around €6.1m - was not spent in time because bills could not be processed before the end of 2025.

Normally, that money would have been lost because there isn’t a formal system to carry project money into the next year.

Instead, Government has agreed to re-add that money into the 2026 budget through an administrative fix.

This special arrangement only happened because Mayor Moran negotiated it and because the new system of having an executive mayor had start-up challenges.

The government has also said this is a one-time exception — if money isn’t spent in future years, it likely won’t be carried forward again.

Mayor Moran said: "I want to sincerely thank the Government, and Minister James Browne in particular, for once again backing Limerick’s ambition. This funding ensures that our city and county can continue delivering on the vision I have set out - making Limerick more liveable, more prosperous, and more healthy for every person who calls it home."

He added: "The focus now is on delivery, aligning funding with projects that are ready to proceed and ensuring that the resources confirmed for 2026 translate into tangible outcomes for communities across Limerick.”